Communications system with polling server providing dynamic record ID polling and related methods

ABSTRACT

A communications system may include at least one data storage device configured to store electronic messages and record identifications (IDs) therefor in respective accounts, and a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices each associated with a respective account. The system may further include at least one polling server configured to perform polling requests of the at least one data storage device and retrieve therefrom respective record IDs for each account, with each polling request being for a selectable number of record IDs. The polling server(s) may also be configured to selectively change the number of record IDs in each polling request based upon an estimated number of electronic messages stored in a respective account, and cause electronic messages to be delivered to respective mobile wireless communications devices based upon the record IDs.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the field of communications, and moreparticularly, to electronic record systems and related methods.

BACKGROUND

Electronic mailboxes reside on electronic mail (email) servers and areused to store email messages. Electronic mailboxes are connected to theInternet to enable users to send and receive incoming and outgoing emailmessages. These mailboxes may also be extended to deliver email tomobile wireless communication devices via wireless networks. In the caseof a corporation, electronic mailboxes are typically located on emailservers at the corporation. On the other hand, mailboxes for smallbusinesses or individuals are typically located on Internet serviceprovider (ISP) email servers.

Mail user agents (MUAs) are applications which use a technique calledpolling to relay messages from the email server to the mail program at auser's computer or mobile wireless communications device. A MUA is aprogram running either on a user's personal computing device (mobile orstationary), or on a shared email relay or polling server that checksfor new mail on behalf of a multitude of such users. More particularly,polling is the retrieval of incoming messages from other users at themail server and delivery of these messages to the user's mailbox. Suchsystems may also poll for other record types, including address records,calendar records, etc.

One potential difficulty in detecting new email messages on emailservers is that as the number of system users grows, so too does thenumber of mailboxes that the MUA will have to poll for email messages.As such, it may be desirable in certain applications to provideefficient approaches for polling operations to reduce over-utilizationand/or under-utilization of polling resources at any given time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a communications system inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are flow diagrams illustrating method aspects associatedwith the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a mobile devicethat may be used with the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a communicationsubsystem component of the mobile device of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an example block diagram of a node of a wireless network.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating components of a host system inone example configuration for use with the wireless network of FIG. 6and the mobile device of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present description is made with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which example embodiments are shown. However, manydifferent embodiments may be used, and thus the description should notbe construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein.Rather, these example embodiments are provided so that this disclosurewill be thorough and complete. Like numbers refer to like elementsthroughout.

Generally speaking, a communications system is disclosed herein whichmay include at least one data storage device configured to storeelectronic records and record identifications (IDs) therefor inrespective accounts, and a plurality of mobile wireless communicationsdevices each associated with a respective account. The system mayfurther include at least one polling server configured to performpolling requests of the at least one data storage device and retrievetherefrom respective record IDs for each account, each polling requestbeing for a selectable number of record IDs. The at least one pollingserver may be further configured to selectively change the number ofrecord IDs in each polling request based upon an estimated number ofelectronic records stored in a respective account, and cause electronicrecords to be delivered to respective mobile wireless communicationsdevices based upon the record IDs. The system may thereby usefullyprovide greater efficiencies in performing the polling requests, forexample.

More particularly, the at least one polling server may be configured toselectively change the number of record IDs in each polling request alsobased upon a time of completion of a prior request. Furthermore, the atleast one polling server may have an available memory level, and the atleast one polling server may be configured to selectively change thenumber of record IDs in each polling request also based upon theavailable memory level. In addition, the at least one polling server maybe configured to selectively change the number of record IDs in eachpolling request also based upon a target number of requests to retrieveall record IDs for a given account. Further, the at least one pollingserver may be configured to selectively change the number of record IDsin each polling request also based upon a minimum or maximum record IDrequest limit.

The at least one polling server may be configured to determine new anddeleted electronic records for the accounts based upon the polled recordIDs. By way of example, the mobile wireless communications devices maycomprise cellular devices, and the electronic records may compriseelectronic messages (e.g., email messages, SMS messages, MMS messages,etc.), address book records, calendar records, task records, notesrecords, etc., as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

A related polling server is for use with at least one data storagedevice configured to store electronic records and record IDs therefor inrespective accounts and a plurality of mobile wireless communicationsdevices each associated with a respective account. The polling servermay include a storage device interface module configured to performpolling requests of the at least one data storage device and retrievetherefrom respective record IDs for each account, with each pollingrequest being for a selectable number of record IDs. The storage deviceinterface module may also be configured to selectively change the numberof record IDs in each polling request based upon an estimated number ofelectronic records stored in a respective account. The polling servermay also include a mobile device interface module cooperating with thestorage device interface module and configured to cause electronicrecords to be delivered to respective mobile wireless communicationsdevices based upon the record IDs.

A related communications method may include storing electronic recordsand record IDs therefor in respective accounts on at least one datastorage device, and associating a plurality of mobile wirelesscommunications devices with respective accounts. The method may furtherinclude perform polling requests of the at least one data storage deviceand retrieving therefrom respective record IDs for each account using atleast one polling server, with each polling request being for aselectable number of record IDs. The method may further includeselectively changing the number of record IDs in each polling requestbased upon an estimated number of electronic records stored in arespective account using the at least one polling server, and causingelectronic records to be delivered to respective mobile wirelesscommunications devices based upon the record IDs using the at least onepolling server.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a communications system 30 andassociated method aspects are first described. The system 30illustratively includes one or more data storage devices 31 configuredto store electronic records and corresponding records identifications(IDs) therefor in respective accounts. By way of example, such recordsmay include electronic messages (e.g., email messages, SMS messages, MMSmessages, etc.), address book records, calendar records, task records,notes records, etc., as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.In the case of email messages, the data storage device 31 may take theform or a corporate or ISP email server(s) on which individual useraccounts are established including one or more mailboxes or folders(e.g., inbox, outbox, sent items, drafts, etc.) for storing emailmessages. For clarity of explanation, the example embodiments set forthherein will be described with reference to email message polling, but itwill be appreciated that these example embodiments may be similarly usedfor other electronic record polling applications, such as those notedabove.

The system 30 further illustratively includes a plurality of mobilewireless communications devices 32 (also referred to as “mobile devices”herein) each associated with a respective one of the accounts. That is,each mobile device 32 is configured to receive email messages from (andoptionally send emails through) a respective email account hosted on thedata storage device 31, as will be appreciated by those skilled in theart. Again, the system 30 may be used with electronic message types (ormore generally, electronic records) other than email messages, such asShort Message Service (SMS) messages, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)messages, etc., for example.

The system 30 further illustratively includes one or more pollingservers 33. The polling server 33 illustratively includes a storagedevice interface module 34 which communicates with the data storagedevices(s) 31, and a mobile device interface module 35 whichcommunicates with the mobile devices 32. By way of example, the storagedevice interface module 34 and data storage device(s) 31 may communicatevia a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, or in some exampleembodiments they may be co-located and communicate via a local areanetwork (LAN), for example. The mobile device interface module 35 maycommunicate with the mobile devices 32 via one or more wireless networks36, such as cellular networks, for example. It should also be noted thatthe polling server(s) 33 and wireless network(s) may similarlycommunicate via a LAN or WAN. Moreover, in some example embodiments thewireless network 36 may take other forms than a cellular network, suchas wireless LAN (e.g., 802.11, Bluetooth, etc.), WiMAX, etc., as will beappreciated by those skilled in the art.

Beginning at Block 40, the storage device interface module 34 isconfigured to perform polling requests of the data storage device(s) 31and retrieve therefrom respective record IDs for each account, at Block41. For example, data storage devices 31 may be implemented as part ofan email hosting system such as for Gmail™ accounts, Yahoo® Mailaccounts, corporate email accounts, etc., and the storage deviceinterface module 34 polls these data storage devices for record IDs.This allows the storage device interface module 34 to compare the polledrecord IDs with a prior list of retrieved record IDs to determine whennew messages are present so that they may be delivered to respectivemobile devices 32, at Block 43. Moreover, this also allows the storagedevice interface module 34 to determine whether previously receivedmessages have been deleted, such as if the messages are accessed throughan Internet or corporate interface as opposed to a wireless device 32,for example. The respective mobile device 32 may be updated accordingly,as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

One potential problem associated with this type of polling serverarrangement is that of large mailboxes, i.e., mailboxes that have alarge number of stored messages and record IDs that have to be parsed todetermine new or deleted messages. More particularly, large mailboxesconsume a disproportionate amount of system resources, namelyprocessing, memory, and database resources. This, in turn, causes delaysin polling, which may result in an overall degradation in service forother users.

The storage device interface module 34 may usefully be configured toperform adaptive polling based upon mailbox size, for example, to usesystem resources more effectively and help mitigate the above-notedproblems associated with large mailboxes. More particularly, the pollingrequests from the storage device interface module 34 may be for aselectable number of record IDs. As such, the storage device interfacemodule 34 may be configured to selectively change the number of recordIDs in each polling request based upon an estimated number of electronicmessages stored in a respective account, at Block 42. This estimationmay be further refined, such as by assuming a particular number of newemail messages are added to the given account between pollings basedupon an individual or collective user average, etc., and this number mayvary depending on the time (e.g., more emails may be received duringbusiness hours than late evening, etc.). The estimation may also bebased upon intermediate pollings between full polls in which only new ordeleted record IDs are retrieved. Another approach is to query the datastorage device 31 directly for the size of the mailbox to determine theestimated number of electronic messages therein. This may be consideredan estimate in that the number of record IDs present in the givenaccount may be different when the actual polling operation subsequentlyoccurs (i.e., because new messages were received or old messages deletedin the interim). The method of FIG. 2 is illustratively concluded atBlock 44, although it will be appreciated that the polling and messagedelivery functions performed by the polling server 33 may continueindefinitely in actual operation.

Referring additionally to FIG. 3, beginning at Block 50, the storagedevice interface module 34 may store a prior number of record IDs thatwere returned during a previous polling operation, and this number maybe used as the estimated number of electronic messages that will bepresent during the next full polling to retrieve all of the record IDsin the account, at Block 51. This estimation may be determined using anyof the estimation techniques discussed above for Block 42 of FIG. 3.

At Block 52, an initial number of record IDs is determined for thepolling requests of a given account, by using a target number ofrequests may be used. More particularly, the storage device interfacemodule 34 may be configured to divide the estimated number of electronicmessages for a given account by a target number of requests, or roundtrips, to retrieve all of the stored record IDs from the data storagedevice 31. Thus, for example, if the estimated number of record IDs onthe data storage device 31 is 10,000 and the desired number of target orround trips to the data storage device to obtain all of the record IDsis ten, then the number of record IDs to be used for each of the tenpolling requests is 1,000 (i.e., 10,000 divided by 10). Consideredalternatively, a “page size” of 1,000 record IDs is used for eachpolling request during a full polling cycle, where the polling cyclecomprises the ten trips to the data storage device 31 to obtain all ofthe record IDs stored in the given mailbox(es).

Other factors may be considered when selectively changing the page sizebesides the estimated number of stored electronic messages for arespective account. For example, the storage device interface module 34may be configured to selectively change the number of record IDs in eachpolling request based upon a time of completion of a prior request, atBlock 53. That is, if a prior request took a relatively long time tocomplete, this may indicate that the data storage device 31 is heavilyloaded and a smaller polling request size is appropriate. On the otherhand, if a request is completed relatively quickly, this may mean thatthe data storage device 31 can handle larger requests at that particulartime.

However, if it is determined that delays are a result of networklatency, then it may be desirable to request a larger page size toreturn more messages at a time, as larger page sizes may not have asmuch of an effect on network (e.g., Internet) transmission times as ondata storage device 31 processing times, as will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art. Thus, if network latency is relatively high, it maybe more efficient to request a larger number of record IDs at a time ifdata storage device processing times are not adversely affected.

Furthermore, the polling server 33 may have an available memory level,and the storage device interface module 34 may be configured toselectively change the number of record IDs in each polling request alsobased upon the available memory level, at Block 54. Thus, for example,if the available memory of the polling server 33 is relatively low, thena smaller number of record IDs may be appropriate in each pollingrequest, and vice-versa when the available memory level is higher.

In addition, it may be desirable in some applications to impose aminimum or maximum record ID request limit. That is, the storage deviceinterface module 34 may be configured to selectively change the numberof record IDs in each polling request also based upon a minimum ormaximum record ID request limit, at Blocks 55-56. As such, if theinitial number of record IDs to be polled exceeds a maximum record IDrequest limit, then the maximum request limit may be used instead of theinitial number. Similarly, if the initial number of record IDs is belowa minimum record ID request limit, then the minimum request limit mayinstead be used.

If time of completion of prior requests, memory level, or minimum ormaximum request limits require a change to the initial or default pagesize, then this number is selectively changed accordingly, at Block 57,thus concluding the method illustrated in FIG. 3 (Block 58).

It will therefore be appreciated that the above-described approach isuseful in that utilizing a higher page size, when appropriate, will inturn require fewer round trips to the data storage device 31 and thus ashorter poll time. A shorter poll time will result in quicker messagedelivery to the mobile devices 32, and better overall performance forthe system 30.

The foregoing will be further understood with reference to a use caseexample. In an implementation of the system 30, it was observed thatwith a default page size of 500, a full poll of a Yahoo® mailbox with23,000 messages took 123 seconds to complete. Yet, using theabove-described dynamic polling approach in which the number of recordIDs to be used for polling a given account (i.e., mailboxes) is variedbased upon an estimated number of messages therein, the time to completethe polling was significantly reduced. More particularly, using a targetnumber of pollings (i.e., a round trip limit) of ten, this causes thedefault page size of 500 to be dynamically changed to 2,300 (i.e.,23,000 messages divided by the target of ten gives a page size of2,300). This change resulted in a full poll of the same Yahoo® mailboxtaking only fifty-three seconds, a 57% improvement in the time requiredto completely poll the given mailbox for all of the record IDs storedtherein. The following pseudocode provides an example of how thisapproach may be implemented:

//defaultPageSize = 500; //mailboxSize = 23000 //roundTripLimit = 10;//maxPageSize = 5000; int pageSize = defaultPageSize; if (mailboxSize >0) { if (roundTripLimit > 0) { pageSize = mailboxSize / roundTripLimit;} if (pageSize < defaultPageSize) { pageSize = defaultPageSize; } elseif(pageSize > maxPageSize) { pageSize = maxPageSize; } } else { pageSize =defaultPageSize; } return pageSize;

The above pseudocode includes “if” statements to ensure that neither themailbox size of the round trip limit are zero. More particularly, if themailbox size is zero then the default page size would be used, and nofurther logic is required. Also, if the round trip limit (i.e., thetarget number of pollings) is set to zero, then a divide by zerocondition would be present, so the “if” logic is used to avoid suchoccurrence. It should also be noted that in some implementations adefault page size need not be used, but from the above example it may beseen that the default page size may usefully provide a minimum page sizelimit, as well as a starting point for polling if the estimated numberof messages stored in the given mailbox is zero. Also, the mailbox sizewould be the estimated mailbox size noted above and assigned as avariable in the code, although “mailboxSize” is assigned a constantvalue in the above example for clarity of reference.

It should also be noted that in some example embodiments the number ofrecord IDs to be retrieved during each polling operation of a givenpolling cycle need not be the same. More particularly, the page size maybe stepped or ramped up or down during a given polling cycle, ratherthan remaining constant, if desired.

Example components of a mobile wireless communications device that maybe used in accordance with an example embodiment (e.g. the mobilewireless communications device of FIG. 1) are further described belowwith reference to FIGS. 4-7. Generally speaking, a mobile device may beconfigured according to an IT policy. It should be noted that the termIT policy, in general, refers to a collection of IT policy rules, inwhich the IT policy rules can be defined as being either grouped ornon-grouped and global or per-user. The terms grouped, non-grouped,global and per-user are defined further below. Examples of applicablecommunication devices include pagers, cellular phones, cellularsmart-phones, wireless organizers, personal digital assistants,computers, laptops, handheld wireless communication devices, wirelesslyenabled notebook computers and the like.

The mobile device is a two-way communication device with advanced datacommunication capabilities including the capability to communicate withother mobile devices or computer systems through a network oftransceiver stations. The mobile device may also have the capability toallow voice communication. Depending on the functionality provided bythe mobile device, it may be referred to as a data messaging device, atwo-way pager, a cellular telephone with data messaging capabilities, awireless Internet appliance, or a data communication device (with orwithout telephony capabilities). To aid the reader in understanding thestructure of the mobile device and how it communicates with otherdevices and host systems, reference will now be made to FIGS. 4-7.

Referring first to FIG. 4, shown therein is a block diagram of anexample embodiment of a mobile device 100. The mobile device 100includes a number of components such as a main processor 102 thatcontrols the overall operation of the mobile device 100. Communicationfunctions, including data and voice communications, are performedthrough a communication subsystem 104. The communication subsystem 104receives messages from and sends messages to a wireless network 200. Inthis example embodiment of the mobile device 100, the communicationsubsystem 104 is configured in accordance with the Global System forMobile Communication (GSM) and General Packet Radio Services (GPRS)standards. The GSM/GPRS wireless network is used worldwide and it isexpected that these standards will be superseded eventually by EnhancedData GSM Environment (EDGE) and Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsService (UMTS). New standards are still being defined, but it isbelieved that they will have similarities to the network behaviordescribed herein, and it will also be understood by persons skilled inthe art that the example embodiments described herein are intended touse any other suitable standards that are developed in the future. Thewireless link connecting the communication subsystem 104 with thewireless network 200 represents one or more different Radio Frequency(RF) channels, operating according to defined protocols specified forGSM/GPRS communications. With newer network protocols, these channelsare capable of supporting both circuit switched voice communications andpacket switched data communications.

Although the wireless network 200 associated with mobile device 100 is aGSM/GPRS wireless network in one example implementation, other wirelessnetworks may also be associated with the mobile device 100 in variantimplementations. The different types of wireless networks that may beemployed include, for example, data-centric wireless networks,voice-centric wireless networks, and dual-mode networks that can supportboth voice and data communications over the same physical base stations.Combined dual-mode networks include, but are not limited to, CodeDivision Multiple Access (CDMA) or CDMA2000 networks, GSM/GPRS networks(as mentioned above), and future third-generation (3G) networks likeEDGE and UMTS. Some other examples of data-centric networks include WiFi802.11, Mobitex™ and DataTAC™ network communication systems. Examples ofother voice-centric data networks include Personal Communication Systems(PCS) networks like GSM and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)systems.

The main processor 102 also interacts with additional subsystems such asa Random Access Memory (RAM) 106, a flash memory 108, a display 110, anauxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystem 112, a data port 114, a keyboard116, a speaker 118, a microphone 120, short-range communications 122 andother device subsystems 124.

Some of the subsystems of the mobile device 100 performcommunication-related functions, whereas other subsystems may provide“resident” or on-device functions. By way of example, the display 110and the keyboard 116 may be used for both communication-relatedfunctions, such as entering a text message for transmission over thenetwork 200, and device-resident functions such as a calculator or tasklist.

The mobile device 100 can send and receive communication signals overthe wireless network 200 after required network registration oractivation procedures have been completed. Network access is associatedwith a subscriber or user of the mobile device 100. To identify asubscriber, the mobile device 100 requires a SIM/RUIM card 126 (i.e.,Subscriber Identity Module or a Removable User Identity Module) to beinserted into a SIM/RUIM interface 128 in order to communicate with anetwork. The SIM card or RUIM 126 is one type of a conventional “smartcard” that can be used to identify a subscriber of the mobile device 100and to personalize the mobile device 100, among other things. Withoutthe SIM card 126, the mobile device 100 is not fully operational forcommunication with the wireless network 200. By inserting the SIMcard/RUIM 126 into the SIM/RUIM interface 128, a subscriber can accessall subscribed services. Services may include: web browsing andmessaging such as email, voice mail, Short Message Service (SMS), andMultimedia Messaging Services (MMS). More advanced services may include:point of sale, field service and sales force automation. The SIMcard/RUIM 126 includes a processor and memory for storing information.Once the SIM card/RUIM 126 is inserted into the SIM/RUIM interface 128,it is coupled to the main processor 102. In order to identify thesubscriber, the SIM card/RUIM 126 can include some user parameters suchas an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI). An advantage ofusing the SIM card/RUIM 126 is that a subscriber is not necessarilybound by any single physical mobile device. The SIM card/RUIM 126 maystore additional subscriber information for a mobile device as well,including datebook (or calendar) information and recent callinformation. Alternatively, user identification information can also beprogrammed into the flash memory 108.

The mobile device 100 is a battery-powered device and includes a batteryinterface 132 for receiving one or more rechargeable batteries 130. Inat least some example embodiments, the battery 130 can be a smartbattery with an embedded microprocessor. The battery interface 132 iscoupled to a regulator (not shown), which assists the battery 130 inproviding power V+ to the mobile device 100. Although current technologymakes use of a battery, future technologies such as micro fuel cells mayprovide the power to the mobile device 100.

The mobile device 100 also includes an operating system 134 and softwarecomponents 136 to 146 which are described in more detail below. Theoperating system 134 and the software components 136 to 146 that areexecuted by the main processor 102 are typically stored in a persistentstore such as the flash memory 108, which may alternatively be aread-only memory (ROM) or similar storage element (not shown). Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that portions of the operating system134 and the software components 136 to 146, such as specific deviceapplications, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded into avolatile store such as the RAM 106. Other software components can alsobe included, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

The subset of software applications 136 that control basic deviceoperations, including data and voice communication applications, willnormally be installed on the mobile device 100 during its manufacture.Other software applications include a message application 138 that canbe any suitable software program that allows a user of the mobile device100 to send and receive electronic messages. Various alternatives existfor the message application 138 as is well known to those skilled in theart. Messages that have been sent or received by the user are typicallystored in the flash memory 108 of the mobile device 100 or some othersuitable storage element in the mobile device 100. In at least someexample embodiments, some of the sent and received messages may bestored remotely from the device 100 such as in a data store of anassociated host system that the mobile device 100 communicates with.

The software applications can further include a device state module 140,a Personal Information Manager (PIM) 142, and other suitable modules(not shown). The device state module 140 provides persistence, i.e., thedevice state module 140 ensures that important device data is stored inpersistent memory, such as the flash memory 108, so that the data is notlost when the mobile device 100 is turned off or loses power.

The PIM 142 includes functionality for organizing and managing dataitems of interest to the user, such as, but not limited to, email,contacts, calendar events, voice mails, appointments, and task items. APIM application has the ability to send and receive data items via thewireless network 200. PIM data items may be seamlessly integrated,synchronized, and updated via the wireless network 200 with the mobiledevice subscriber's corresponding data items stored and/or associatedwith a host computer system. This functionality creates a mirrored hostcomputer on the mobile device 100 with respect to such items. This canbe particularly advantageous when the host computer system is the mobiledevice subscriber's office computer system.

The mobile device 100 also includes a connect module 144, and an ITpolicy module 146. The connect module 144 implements the communicationprotocols that are required for the mobile device 100 to communicatewith the wireless infrastructure and any host system, such as anenterprise system, that the mobile device 100 is authorized to interfacewith. Examples of a wireless infrastructure and an enterprise system aregiven in FIGS. 6 and 7, which are described in more detail below.

The connect module 144 includes a set of APIs that can be integratedwith the mobile device 100 to allow the mobile device 100 to use anynumber of services associated with the enterprise system. The connectmodule 144 allows the mobile device 100 to establish an end-to-endsecure, authenticated communication pipe with the host system. A subsetof applications for which access is provided by the connect module 144can be used to pass IT policy commands from the host system to themobile device 100. This can be done in a wireless or wired manner. Theseinstructions can then be passed to the IT policy module 146 to modifythe configuration of the device 100. Alternatively, in some cases, theIT policy update can also be done over a wired connection.

The IT policy module 146 receives IT policy data that encodes the ITpolicy. The IT policy module 146 then ensures that the IT policy data isauthenticated by the mobile device 100. The IT policy data can then bestored in the flash memory 106 in its native form. After the IT policydata is stored, a global notification can be sent by the IT policymodule 146 to all of the applications residing on the mobile device 100.Applications for which the IT policy may be applicable then respond byreading the IT policy data to look for IT policy rules that areapplicable.

The IT policy module 146 can include a parser (not shown), which can beused by the applications to read the IT policy rules. In some cases,another module or application can provide the parser. Grouped IT policyrules, described in more detail below, are retrieved as byte streams,which are then sent (recursively, in a sense) into the parser todetermine the values of each IT policy rule defined within the groupedIT policy rule. In at least some example embodiments, the IT policymodule 146 can determine which applications are affected by the ITpolicy data and send a notification to only those applications. Ineither of these cases, for applications that aren't running at the timeof the notification, the applications can call the parser or the ITpolicy module 146 when they are executed to determine if there are anyrelevant IT policy rules in the newly received IT policy data.

All applications that support rules in the IT Policy are coded to knowthe type of data to expect. For example, the value that is set for the“WEP User Name” IT policy rule is known to be a string; therefore thevalue in the IT policy data that corresponds to this rule is interpretedas a string. As another example, the setting for the “Set MaximumPassword Attempts” IT policy rule is known to be an integer, andtherefore the value in the IT policy data that corresponds to this ruleis interpreted as such.

After the IT policy rules have been applied to the applicableapplications or configuration files, the IT policy module 146 sends anacknowledgement back to the host system to indicate that the IT policydata was received and successfully applied.

Other types of software applications can also be installed on the mobiledevice 100. These software applications can be third party applications,which are added after the manufacture of the mobile device 100. Examplesof third party applications include games, calculators, utilities, etc.

The additional applications can be loaded onto the mobile device 100through at least one of the wireless network 200, the auxiliary I/Osubsystem 112, the data port 114, the short-range communicationssubsystem 122, or any other suitable device subsystem 124. Thisflexibility in application installation increases the functionality ofthe mobile device 100 and may provide enhanced on-device functions,communication-related functions, or both. For example, securecommunication applications may enable electronic commerce functions andother such financial transactions to be performed using the mobiledevice 100.

The data port 114 enables a subscriber to set preferences through anexternal device or software application and extends the capabilities ofthe mobile device 100 by providing for information or software downloadsto the mobile device 100 other than through a wireless communicationnetwork. The alternate download path may, for example, be used to loadan encryption key onto the mobile device 100 through a direct and thusreliable and trusted connection to provide secure device communication.

The data port 114 can be any suitable port that enables datacommunication between the mobile device 100 and another computingdevice. The data port 114 can be a serial or a parallel port. In someinstances, the data port 114 can be a USB port that includes data linesfor data transfer and a supply line that can provide a charging currentto charge the battery 130 of the mobile device 100.

The short-range communications subsystem 122 provides for communicationbetween the mobile device 100 and different systems or devices, withoutthe use of the wireless network 200. For example, the subsystem 122 mayinclude an infrared device and associated circuits and components forshort-range communication. Examples of short-range communicationstandards include standards developed by the Infrared Data Association(IrDA), Bluetooth, and the 802.11 family of standards developed by IEEE.

In use, a received signal such as a text message, an email message, orweb page download will be processed by the communication subsystem 104and input to the main processor 102. The main processor 102 will thenprocess the received signal for output to the display 110 oralternatively to the auxiliary I/O subsystem 112. A subscriber may alsocompose data items, such as email messages, for example, using thekeyboard 116 in conjunction with the display 110 and possibly theauxiliary I/O subsystem 112. The auxiliary subsystem 112 may includedevices such as: a touch screen, mouse, track ball, infrared fingerprintdetector, or a roller wheel with dynamic button pressing capability. Thekeyboard 116 is preferably an alphanumeric keyboard and/ortelephone-type keypad. However, other types of keyboards may also beused. A composed item may be transmitted over the wireless network 200through the communication subsystem 104.

For voice communications, the overall operation of the mobile device 100is substantially similar, except that the received signals are output tothe speaker 118, and signals for transmission are generated by themicrophone 120. Alternative voice or audio I/O subsystems, such as avoice message recording subsystem, can also be implemented on the mobiledevice 100. Although voice or audio signal output is accomplishedprimarily through the speaker 118, the display 110 can also be used toprovide additional information such as the identity of a calling party,duration of a voice call, or other voice call related information.

Referring now to FIG. 5, an example block diagram of the communicationsubsystem component 104 is shown. The communication subsystem 104includes a receiver 150, a transmitter 152, as well as associatedcomponents such as one or more embedded or internal antenna elements 154and 156, Local Oscillators (LOs) 158, and a processing module such as aDigital Signal Processor (DSP) 160. The particular design of thecommunication subsystem 104 is dependent upon the communication network200 with which the mobile device 100 is intended to operate. Thus, itshould be understood that the design illustrated in FIG. 5 serves onlyas one example.

Signals received by the antenna 154 through the wireless network 200 areinput to the receiver 150, which may perform such common receiverfunctions as signal amplification, frequency down conversion, filtering,channel selection, and analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion. A/Dconversion of a received signal allows more complex communicationfunctions such as demodulation and decoding to be performed in the DSP160. In a similar manner, signals to be transmitted are processed,including modulation and encoding, by the DSP 160. These DSP-processedsignals are input to the transmitter 152 for digital-to-analog (D/A)conversion, frequency up conversion, filtering, amplification andtransmission over the wireless network 200 via the antenna 156. The DSP160 not only processes communication signals, but also provides forreceiver and transmitter control. For example, the gains applied tocommunication signals in the receiver 150 and the transmitter 152 may beadaptively controlled through automatic gain control algorithmsimplemented in the DSP 160.

The wireless link between the mobile device 100 and the wireless network200 can contain one or more different channels, typically different RFchannels, and associated protocols used between the mobile device 100and the wireless network 200. An RF channel is a limited resource thatmust be conserved, typically due to limits in overall bandwidth andlimited battery power of the mobile device 100.

When the mobile device 100 is fully operational, the transmitter 152 istypically keyed or turned on only when it is transmitting to thewireless network 200 and is otherwise turned off to conserve resources.Similarly, the receiver 150 is periodically turned off to conserve poweruntil it is needed to receive signals or information (if at all) duringdesignated time periods.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a block diagram of an example implementation ofa node 202 of the wireless network 200 is shown. In practice, thewireless network 200 includes one or more nodes 202. In conjunction withthe connect module 144, the mobile device 100 can communicate with thenode 202 within the wireless network 200. In the example implementationof FIG. 6, the node 202 is configured in accordance with General PacketRadio Service (GPRS) and Global Systems for Mobile (GSM) technologies.The node 202 includes a base station controller (BSC) 204 with anassociated tower station 206, a Packet Control Unit (PCU) 208 added forGPRS support in GSM, a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 210, a HomeLocation Register (HLR) 212, a Visitor Location Registry (VLR) 214, aServing GPRS Support Node (SGSN) 216, a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)218, and a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) 220. This list ofcomponents is not meant to be an exhaustive list of the components ofevery node 202 within a GSM/GPRS network, but rather a list ofcomponents that are commonly used in communications through the network200.

In a GSM network, the MSC 210 is coupled to the BSC 204 and to alandline network, such as a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 222to satisfy circuit switched requirements. The connection through the PCU208, the SGSN 216 and the GGSN 218 to a public or private network(Internet) 224 (also referred to herein generally as a shared networkinfrastructure) represents the data path for GPRS capable mobiledevices. In a GSM network extended with GPRS capabilities, the BSC 204also contains the Packet Control Unit (PCU) 208 that connects to theSGSN 216 to control segmentation, radio channel allocation and tosatisfy packet switched requirements. To track the location of themobile device 100 and availability for both circuit switched and packetswitched management, the HLR 212 is shared between the MSC 210 and theSGSN 216. Access to the VLR 214 is controlled by the MSC 210.

The station 206 is a fixed transceiver station and together with the BSC204 form fixed transceiver equipment. The fixed transceiver equipmentprovides wireless network coverage for a particular coverage areacommonly referred to as a “cell.” The fixed transceiver equipmenttransmits communication signals to and receives communication signalsfrom mobile devices within its cell via the station 206. The fixedtransceiver equipment normally performs such functions as modulation andpossibly encoding and/or encryption of signals to be transmitted to themobile device 100 in accordance with particular, usually predetermined,communication protocols and parameters, under control of its controller.The fixed transceiver equipment similarly demodulates and possiblydecodes and decrypts, if necessary, any communication signals receivedfrom the mobile device 100 within its cell. Communication protocols andparameters may vary between different nodes. For example, one node mayemploy a different modulation scheme and operate at differentfrequencies than other nodes.

For all mobile devices 100 registered with a specific network, permanentconfiguration data such as a user profile is stored in the HLR 212. TheHLR 212 also contains location information for each registered mobiledevice and can be queried to determine the current location of a mobiledevice. The MSC 210 is responsible for a group of location areas andstores the data of the mobile devices currently in its area ofresponsibility in the VLR 214. Further, the VLR 214 also containsinformation on mobile devices that are visiting other networks. Theinformation in the VLR 214 includes part of the permanent mobile devicedata transmitted from the HLR 212 to the VLR 214 for faster access. Bymoving additional information from a remote HLR 212 node to the VLR 214,the amount of traffic between these nodes can be reduced so that voiceand data services can be provided with faster response times and at thesame time requiring less use of computing resources.

The SGSN 216 and the GGSN 218 are elements added for GPRS support,namely packet switched data support, within GSM. The SGSN 216 and theMSC 210 have similar responsibilities within the wireless network 200 bykeeping track of the location of each mobile device 100. The SGSN 216also performs security functions and access control for data traffic onthe wireless network 200. The GGSN 218 provides internetworkingconnections with external packet switched networks and connects to oneor more SGSN's 216 via an Internet Protocol (IP) backbone networkoperated within the network 200. During normal operations, a givenmobile device 100 must perform a “GPRS Attach” to acquire an IP addressand to access data services. This requirement is not present in circuitswitched voice channels as Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)addresses are used for routing incoming and outgoing calls. Currently,all GPRS capable networks use private, dynamically assigned IPaddresses, thus requiring the DHCP server 220 connected to the GGSN 218.There are many mechanisms for dynamic IP assignment, including using acombination of a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)server and a DHCP server. Once the GPRS Attach is complete, a logicalconnection is established from a mobile device 100, through the PCU 208,and the SGSN 216 to an Access Point Node (APN) within the GGSN 218. TheAPN represents a logical end of an IP tunnel that can either accessdirect Internet compatible services or private network connections. TheAPN also represents a security mechanism for the network 200, insofar aseach mobile device 100 must be assigned to one or more APNs and mobiledevices 100 cannot exchange data without first performing a GPRS Attachto an APN that it has been authorized to use. The APN may be consideredto be similar to an Internet domain name such as“myconnection.wireless.com”.

Once the GPRS Attach operation is complete, a tunnel is created and alltraffic is exchanged within standard IP packets using any protocol thatcan be supported in IP packets. This includes tunneling methods such asIP over IP as in the case with some IPSecurity (IPsec) connections usedwith Virtual Private Networks (VPN). These tunnels are also referred toas Packet Data Protocol (PDP) Contexts and there are a limited number ofthese available in the network 200. To maximize use of the PDP Contexts,the network 200 will run an idle timer for each PDP Context to determineif there is a lack of activity. When a mobile device 100 is not usingits POP Context, the PDP Context can be de-allocated and the IP addressreturned to the IP address pool managed by the DHCP server 220.

Referring now to FIG. 7, shown therein is a block diagram illustratingcomponents of an example configuration of a host system 250 that themobile device 100 can communicate with in conjunction with the connectmodule 144. The host system 250 will typically be a corporate enterpriseor other local area network (LAN), but may also be a home officecomputer or some other private system, for example, in variantimplementations. In this example shown in FIG. 7, the host system 250 isdepicted as a LAN of an organization to which a user of the mobiledevice 100 belongs. Typically, a plurality of mobile devices cancommunicate wirelessly with the host system 250 through one or morenodes 202 of the wireless network 200.

The host system 250 includes a number of network components connected toeach other by a network 260. For instance, a user's desktop computer 262a with an accompanying cradle 264 for the user's mobile device 100 issituated on a LAN connection. The cradle 264 for the mobile device 100can be coupled to the computer 262 a by a serial or a Universal SerialBus (USB) connection, for example. Other user computers 262 b-262 n arealso situated on the network 260, and each may or may not be equippedwith an accompanying cradle 264. The cradle 264 facilitates the loadingof information (e.g., PIM data, private symmetric encryption keys tofacilitate secure communications) from the user computer 262 a to themobile device 100, and may be particularly useful for bulk informationupdates often performed in initializing the mobile device 100 for use.The information downloaded to the mobile device 100 may includecertificates used in the exchange of messages.

It will be understood by persons skilled in the art that the usercomputers 262 a-262 n will typically also be connected to otherperipheral devices, such as printers, etc. which are not explicitlyshown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, only a subset of network components of thehost system 250 are shown in FIG. 4 for ease of exposition, and it willbe understood by persons skilled in the art that the host system 250will include additional components that are not explicitly shown in FIG.4 for this example configuration. More generally, the host system 250may represent a smaller part of a larger network (not shown) of theorganization, and may include different components and/or be arranged indifferent topologies than that shown in the example embodiment of FIG.7.

To facilitate the operation of the mobile device 100 and the wirelesscommunication of messages and message-related data between the mobiledevice 100 and components of the host system 250, a number of wirelesscommunication support components 270 can be provided. In someimplementations, the wireless communication support components 270 caninclude a message management server 272, a mobile data server 274, acontact server 276, and a device manager module 278. The device managermodule 278 includes an IT Policy editor 280 and an IT user propertyeditor 282, as well as other software components for allowing an ITadministrator to configure the mobile devices 100. In an alternativeembodiment, there may be one editor that provides the functionality ofboth the IT policy editor 280 and the IT user property editor 282. Thesupport components 270 also include a data store 284, and an IT policyserver 286. The IT policy server 286 includes a processor 288, a networkinterface 290 and a memory unit 292. The processor 288 controls theoperation of the IT policy server 286 and executes functions related tothe standardized IT policy as described below. The network interface 290allows the IT policy server 286 to communicate with the variouscomponents of the host system 250 and the mobile devices 100. The memoryunit 292 can store functions used in implementing the IT policy as wellas related data. Those skilled in the art know how to implement thesevarious components. Other components may also be included as is wellknown to those skilled in the art. Further, in some implementations, thedata store 284 can be part of any one of the servers.

In this example embodiment, the mobile device 100 communicates with thehost system 250 through node 202 of the wireless network 200 and ashared network infrastructure 224 such as a service provider network orthe public Internet. Access to the host system 250 may be providedthrough one or more routers (not shown), and computing devices of thehost system 250 may operate from behind a firewall or proxy server 266.The proxy server 266 provides a secure node and a wireless internetgateway for the host system 250. The proxy server 266 intelligentlyroutes data to the correct destination server within the host system250.

In some implementations, the host system 250 can include a wireless VPNrouter (not shown) to facilitate data exchange between the host system250 and the mobile device 100. The wireless VPN router allows a VPNconnection to be established directly through a specific wirelessnetwork to the mobile device 100. The wireless VPN router can be usedwith the Internet Protocol (IP) Version 6 (IPV6) and IP-based wirelessnetworks. This protocol can provide enough IP addresses so that eachmobile device has a dedicated IP address, making it possible to pushinformation to a mobile device at any time. An advantage of using awireless VPN router is that it can be an off-the-shelf VPN component,and does not require a separate wireless gateway and separate wirelessinfrastructure. A VPN connection can preferably be a TransmissionControl Protocol (TCP)/IP or User Datagram Protocol (UDP)/IP connectionfor delivering the messages directly to the mobile device 100 in thisalternative implementation.

Messages intended for a user of the mobile device 100 are initiallyreceived by a message server 268 of the host system 250. Such messagesmay originate from any number of sources. For instance, a message mayhave been sent by a sender from the computer 262 b within the hostsystem 250, from a different mobile device (not shown) connected to thewireless network 200 or a different wireless network, or from adifferent computing device, or other device capable of sending messages,via the shared network infrastructure 224, possibly through anapplication service provider (ASP) or Internet service provider (ISP),for example.

The message server 268 typically acts as the primary interface for theexchange of messages, particularly email messages, within theorganization and over the shared network infrastructure 224. Each userin the organization that has been set up to send and receive messages istypically associated with a user account managed by the message server268. Some example implementations of the message server 268 include aMicrosoft Exchange™ server, a Lotus Domino™ server, a Novell Groupwise™server, or another suitable mail server installed in a corporateenvironment. In some implementations, the host system 250 may includemultiple message servers 268. The message server 268 may also be adaptedto provide additional functions beyond message management, including themanagement of data associated with calendars and task lists, forexample.

When messages are received by the message server 268, they are typicallystored in a data store associated with the message server 268. In atleast some example embodiments, the data store may be a separatehardware unit, such as data store 284, that the message server 268communicates with. Messages can be subsequently retrieved and deliveredto users by accessing the message server 268. For instance, an emailclient application operating on a user's computer 262 a may request theemail messages associated with that user's account stored on the datastore associated with the message server 268. These messages are thenretrieved from the data store and stored locally on the computer 262 a.The data store associated with the message server 268 can store copiesof each message that is locally stored on the mobile device 100.Alternatively, the data store associated with the message server 268 canstore all of the messages for the user of the mobile device 100 and onlya smaller number of messages can be stored on the mobile device 100 toconserve memory. For instance, the most recent messages (i.e., thosereceived in the past two to three months for example) can be stored onthe mobile device 100.

When operating the mobile device 100, the user may wish to have emailmessages retrieved for delivery to the mobile device 100. The messageapplication 138 operating on the mobile device 100 may also requestmessages associated with the user's account from the message server 268.The message application 138 may be configured (either by the user or byan administrator, possibly in accordance with an organization'sinformation technology (IT) policy) to make this request at thedirection of the user, at some pre-defined time interval, or upon theoccurrence of some pre-defined event. In some implementations, themobile device 100 is assigned its own email address, and messagesaddressed specifically to the mobile device 100 are automaticallyredirected to the mobile device 100 as they are received by the messageserver 268.

The message management server 272 can be used to specifically providesupport for the management of messages, such as email messages, that areto be handled by mobile devices. Generally, while messages are stillstored on the message server 268, the message management server 272 canbe used to control when, if, and how messages are sent to the mobiledevice 100. The message management server 272 also facilitates thehandling of messages composed on the mobile device 100, which are sentto the message server 268 for subsequent delivery.

For example, the message management server 272 may monitor the user's“mailbox” (e.g., the message store associated with the user's account onthe message server 268) for new email messages, and apply user-definablefilters to new messages to determine if and how the messages are relayedto the user's mobile device 100. The message management server 272 mayalso compress and encrypt new messages (e.g., using an encryptiontechnique such as Data Encryption Standard (DES), Triple DES, orAdvanced Encryption Standard (AES)) and push them to the mobile device100 via the shared network infrastructure 224 and the wireless network200. The message management server 272 may also receive messagescomposed on the mobile device 100 (e.g., encrypted using Triple DES),decrypt and decompress the composed messages, re-format the composedmessages if desired so that they will appear to have originated from theuser's computer 262 a, and re-route the composed messages to the messageserver 268 for delivery.

Certain properties or restrictions associated with messages that are tobe sent from and/or received by the mobile device 100 can be defined(e.g., by an administrator in accordance with IT policy) and enforced bythe message management server 272. These may include whether the mobiledevice 100 may receive encrypted and/or signed messages, minimumencryption key sizes, whether outgoing messages must be encrypted and/orsigned, and whether copies of all secure messages sent from the mobiledevice 100 are to be sent to a pre-defined copy address, for example.

The message management server 272 may also be adapted to provide othercontrol functions, such as only pushing certain message information orpre-defined portions (e.g., “blocks”) of a message stored on the messageserver 268 to the mobile device 100. For example, in some cases, when amessage is initially retrieved by the mobile device 100 from the messageserver 268, the message management server 272 may push only the firstpart of a message to the mobile device 100, with the part being of apre-defined size (e.g., 2 KB). The user can then request that more ofthe message be delivered in similar-sized blocks by the messagemanagement server 272 to the mobile device 100, possibly up to a maximumpredefined message size. Accordingly, the message management server 272facilitates better control over the type of data and the amount of datathat is communicated to the mobile device 100, and can help to minimizepotential waste of bandwidth or other resources.

The mobile data server 274 encompasses any other server that storesinformation that is relevant to the corporation. The mobile data server274 may include, but is not limited to, databases, online data documentrepositories, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, orenterprise resource planning (ERP) applications.

The contact server 276 can provide information for a list of contactsfor the user in a similar fashion as the address book on the mobiledevice 100. Accordingly, for a given contact, the contact server 276 caninclude the name, phone number, work address and email address of thecontact, among other information. The contact server 276 can alsoprovide a global address list that contains the contact information forall of the contacts associated with the host system 250.

It will be understood by persons skilled in the art that the messagemanagement server 272, the mobile data server 274, the contact server276, the device manager module 278, the data store 284 and the IT policyserver 286 do not need to be implemented on separate physical serverswithin the host system 250. For example, some or all of the functionsassociated with the message management server 272 may be integrated withthe message server 268, or some other server in the host system 250.Alternatively, the host system 250 may include multiple messagemanagement servers 272, particularly in variant implementations where alarge number of mobile devices need to be supported.

Alternatively, in some example embodiments, the IT policy server 286 canprovide the IT policy editor 280, the IT user property editor 282 andthe data store 284. In some cases, the IT policy server 286 can alsoprovide the device manager module 278. The processor 288 of the ITpolicy server 286 can be used to perform the various steps of a methodfor providing IT policy data that is customizable on a per-user basis.The processor 288 can execute the editors 280 and 282. In some cases,the functionality of the editors 280 and 282 can be provided by a singleeditor. In some cases, the memory unit 292 can provide the data store284.

The device manager module 278 provides an IT administrator with agraphical user interface with which the IT administrator interacts toconfigure various settings for the mobile devices 100. As mentioned, theIT administrator can use IT policy rules to define behaviors of certainapplications on the mobile device 100 that are permitted such as phone,web browser or Instant Messenger use. The IT policy rules can also beused to set specific values for configuration settings that anorganization requires on the mobile devices 100 such as auto signaturetext, WLAN/VoIP/VPN configuration, security requirements (e.g.,encryption algorithms, password rules, etc.), specifying themes orapplications that are allowed to run on the mobile device 100, and thelike.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are flow diagrams illustrating method aspects associatedwith the system of FIG. 1. Some of the steps illustrated in the flowdiagrams may be performed in an order other than that which isdescribed. Also, it should be appreciated that not all of the stepsdescribed in the flow diagrams are required to be performed, thatadditional steps may be added, and that some of the illustrated stepsmay be substituted with other steps.

Many modifications and other embodiments will come to the mind of oneskilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it isunderstood that various modifications and example embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:
 1. A communications system comprising: at least one data storage device configured to store electronic records and record identifications (IDs) therefor in at least one account; at least one mobile wireless communications device associated with the at least one account; and at least one polling server configured to estimate a number of electronic records stored in the at least one account, select a number of record IDs for a polling request based upon the estimated number, perform the polling request of the at least one data storage device and retrieve therefrom respective record IDs for the at least one account based upon the selected number of record IDs, and cause electronic records to be delivered to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the retrieved record IDs.
 2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one polling server is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a time of completion of a prior request.
 3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one polling server has an available memory level; and wherein the at least one polling server is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon the available memory level.
 4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one polling server is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a target number of requests to retrieve all record IDs for a given account.
 5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one polling server is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a minimum record ID request limit.
 6. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one polling server is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a maximum record ID request limit.
 7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one polling server is configured to determine new and deleted electronic records for the accounts based upon the polled record IDs.
 8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the electronic records comprise electronic messages.
 9. The communications system of claim 8 wherein the electronic messages comprise electronic mail (email) messages.
 10. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the electronic records comprise address book records, and the record IDs comprise address book record IDs.
 11. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the electronic records comprise calendar records, and the record IDs comprise calendar record IDs.
 12. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the at least one mobile wireless communications device comprises cellular devices.
 13. A polling server for use with at least one data storage device configured to store electronic records and record identifications (IDs) therefor in at least one account and at least one mobile wireless communications device associated with the at least one account, the polling server comprising: a storage device interface module configured to estimate a number of electronic records stored in the at least one account, select a number of record IDs for a polling request based upon the estimated number, and perform the polling request of the at least one data storage device and retrieve therefrom respective record IDs for the at least one account based upon the selected number of record IDs; and a mobile device interface module cooperating with the storage device interface module and configured to cause electronic records to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the retrieved record IDs.
 14. The polling server of claim 13 wherein the storage device interface module is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a time of completion of a prior request.
 15. The polling server of claim 13 wherein the storage device interface module has an available memory level; and wherein the first interface module is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon the available memory level.
 16. The polling server of claim 13 wherein the storage device interface module is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a target number of requests to retrieve all record IDs for a given account.
 17. The polling server of claim 13 wherein the storage device interface module is configured to select the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon at least one of a minimum record ID request limit and a maximum record ID request limit.
 18. The polling server of claim 13 wherein the electronic records comprise electronic messages.
 19. A communications method comprising: storing electronic records and record identifications (IDs) therefor in at least one account on at least one data storage device; associating at least one mobile wireless communications device with the at least one account; estimating a number of electronic records stored in the at least one account using at least one polling server; selecting a number of record IDs for a polling request based upon the estimated number using the at least one polling server; performing the polling request of the at least one data storage device and retrieving therefrom respective record IDs for the at least one account using the at least one polling server based upon the selected number of record IDs; and causing electronic records to be delivered to the at least one mobile wireless communications device based upon the record IDs using the at least one polling server.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein selecting comprises selecting the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a time of completion of a prior request.
 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least one polling server has an available memory level; and wherein selecting comprises selecting the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon the available memory level.
 22. The method of claim 19 wherein selecting comprises selecting the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon a target number of requests to retrieve all record IDs for a given account.
 23. The method of claim 19 wherein selecting comprises selecting the number of record IDs in each polling request also based upon at least one of a minimum record ID request limit and a maximum record ID request limit.
 24. The method of claim 19 further comprising determining new and deleted electronic messages for the accounts based upon the polled record IDs using the at least one polling server.
 25. The method of claim 19 wherein the electronic records comprise electronic messages. 